The Problem
This question comes up on r/digitalnomad and r/expats every single week. You have a solid remote income -say $150,000 from a US company -and you're tired of paying Bay Area rent. Where do you go?
The typical advice is "just move to Thailand" or "Portugal is great." But nobody actually breaks down the numbers. How much of that $150K do you keep after taxes? What does rent actually cost? Can you get decent healthcare? What's the internet like?
We pulled real data from CostMaps to compare four popular destinations head-to-head.
The Contenders
We're comparing four countries that remote workers actually move to: Portugal, Thailand, Mexico, and Georgia (the country, not the state). Each represents a different trade-off between cost, lifestyle, and infrastructure.
Cost of Living Breakdown
Using CostMaps cost of living data, here's what a comfortable single person spends monthly in each country's main digital nomad hub:
Lisbon, Portugal
Rent (1BR city center): $1,100-1,400/month
Groceries: $300-400/month
Dining out: $400-500/month
Transport: $50-80/month
Total: roughly $2,200-2,600/month
Bangkok, Thailand
Rent (1BR city center): $500-800/month
Groceries: $200-300/month
Dining out: $200-350/month
Transport: $50-100/month
Total: roughly $1,100-1,700/month
Mexico City, Mexico
Rent (1BR in Roma/Condesa): $700-1,100/month
Groceries: $200-300/month
Dining out: $250-400/month
Transport: $30-60/month
Total: roughly $1,400-2,000/month
Tbilisi, Georgia
Rent (1BR city center): $400-600/month
Groceries: $150-250/month
Dining out: $150-250/month
Transport: $30-50/month
Total: roughly $800-1,200/month
Tax Impact
This is where it gets interesting. On $150K income:
Portugal: The NHR regime closed to new applicants in January 2024. A successor program (IFICI/NHR 2.0) exists but only for specific professions. Standard progressive rates up to 48% apply to most new residents.
Thailand: As of January 2024, all foreign income remitted to Thailand is taxable regardless of when it was earned. The old "don't remit in the same year" loophole no longer applies.
Mexico taxes residents at progressive rates up to 35%. But many remote workers stay under 183 days.
Georgia charges 1% for small business status or 20% flat. Many freelancers pay effectively 1%.
Note: US citizens owe US tax regardless. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion covers about $132,900 (2026). Consult a tax professional -this is not tax advice.
Healthcare Quality
From CostMaps healthcare metrics:
Portugal: Universal public healthcare. Life expectancy 82 years. Hospital beds 3.5 per 1,000. Private insurance runs 40-80 EUR/month.
Thailand: Excellent private hospitals (Bumrungrad is world-class). Life expectancy 78 years. Private insurance $100-200/month.
Mexico: Good private healthcare in major cities. Life expectancy 75 years. Private insurance $80-150/month.
Georgia: Adequate but limited. Life expectancy 74 years. Very cheap private insurance ($30-50/month) but quality varies.
Internet and Infrastructure
For remote work, you need reliable internet:
Lisbon: 100+ Mbps widely available. Excellent coworking scene.
Bangkok: Fast fiber (200+ Mbps). Coworking spaces everywhere.
Mexico City: Generally good (50-100 Mbps). Can be inconsistent in some neighborhoods.
Tbilisi: Surprisingly fast (50-100 Mbps). Growing coworking scene.
Safety
CostMaps safety data shows:
Portugal: One of the safest countries in the world. Very low crime index.
Thailand: Generally safe for expats. Low violent crime.
Mexico: Varies hugely by city. Mexico City is comparable to a large US city.
Georgia: Very low crime. One of the safest countries in the region.
The Verdict
There's no single best answer -it depends on what you optimize for:
Maximum savings: Georgia. You'll spend under $1,500/month and keep most of your income.
Best lifestyle balance: Portugal. EU access, great food, safe, English-friendly. But it's the most expensive option.
Best value: Thailand. Low cost, excellent food and healthcare, great infrastructure.
Closest to US timezone: Mexico. 1-3 hours from US time zones, easy flights home.
Try It Yourself
Open CostMaps' Compare tool to run your own comparison with different countries. The Rankings page lets you filter by what matters most to you -whether that's safety, healthcare quality, or raw cost of living.